Life saving medical patch could be award winner

AN aritifical self-adhesive film currently being used to seal air leaks post lung surgery looks set to win its Leeds-based designers an award.

The 40micron thick film called TissuePatch3 (TP3) is the brainchild of Leeds-based medical device firm Tissuemed.

The film, developed using a proprietary polymer, chemically bonds to the exposed organ to stop leakages of air, fluid and blood, making it applicable to many areas of surgery. Once applied, it acts like a film or skin but dissolves after about six weeks leaving no trace.

Tissuemed is hoping that the film – already popular with thoracic and cardio-thoracic surgeons – will also make it possible to remove chest drains and permit earlier discharge from hospital.

The firm has now been shortlisted for the Yorkshire Forward Innovator/08 awards, the winners of which will be announced on March 5 at a prestigious ceremony at Leeds Town Hall.

Nick Woods, Tissuemed's deputy chairman, said that TP3 used breakthrough technology that was attracting enormous attention since its launch at the European Cardiothoracic Surgery meeting last year.

“We have great interest from the surgical community and have already established distributors in 25 countries. That number is growing all the time,” he said.

“This is an important platform technology which, although initially launched for thoracic procedures, can already be used in other surgical areas. The list of approved procedures is likely to grow during 2008.”

Mr Woods said that TP3 was seen by surgeons at its launch as the “perfect product” not simply because of its ease of use but also because it aided faster recovery.

It is also very adherent once applied and is transparent so surgeons can see through it when it's applied.